Over the next two months, Patrick began his freshman year, moved into the dorms (he flirted with a girl at the housing office to change his assignment to 719 Stockard) and got quite the reputation around the sorority houses on campus for being an amazing lover. He was even credited for screwing three of the sorority presidents who where all seniors.
"With the girls on campus, it's just sex. It's just fucking. I'm young, hung and horny. What am I supposed to do? I don't have anyone like you guys do. I'm willing to bet y'all copulate two to three times as much as I do. "
"Look Patrick, we aren't lecturing you and we don't want you to feel like you have done something wrong. We do care for you and we don't want to see you getting hurt. Ok?
"If I promise to bring you my receipts for condoms, will it end this conversation?" Patrick asked with a grin on his face. He had made it clear to every girl that it was a one time thing. I wasn't looking for a relationship.
About too weeks after the conversation, Jamie and Patrick were working in the yard raking up leaves. Jamie seemed to think that Patrick had something important on his mind but didn't know how to ask it.
"Fall break is coming up in a little over a week, are you and Gabe planning to go anywhere?" asked Patrick.
"Well, Gabe has been swamped with his 7 classes so we haven't really talked about it," replied Jamie.
"Oh, ok"
Jamie knew there was more to what Patrick was thinking about than what had just transpired. Later after dinner while they were watching a movie, Jamie decided to move the topic along.
"Gabe, I think Patrick has something to ask us or to tell us."
Gabe was confused about where that came from until he looked at Patrick who looked like a deer caught in headlights.
"Patrick?" said Gabe as he continued the work that Jamie had begun and paused the movie.
"Alright, alright. There is a guy on the baseball team named Nicolas or Nic for short. He's a sophomore."
"The Italian looking guy with the great ass?" asked Jamie.
"Yeah, that's him. Well right after my birthday party he kept starting conversations and then walking away. After that, I started noticing him checking out Patty in the locker room. I thought if you guys were going to be out of town during fall break then I could bring him here and talk to him. If I got him away from the dorm and the team, then he could open up and talk to me. Stupid idea I guess."
"Patrick, do you care about Nic as a friend or more?" asked Gabe.
"Bud, I don't know really. If he's straight, then there is no problem. If he isn't, then I cross that bridge when I come to it. "
Gabe satisfied with Patrick's answer turned to Jamie and said, "There is a great gay owned and operated B & B in the mountains about six hrs away that I have wanted to visit. It would be a great way to relax during the break."
"I'll make the reservations tomorrow," responded Jamie as he turned to see a smile spreading across Patrick's face.
The break came and went. Jamie and Gabe made it home about 5 o'clock on the Sunday afternoon.
Walking through the door from the garage, Jamie noticed Patrick's truck parked out back and said, "Patty's truck is out back."
"I wonder how his weekend went with Nic?" was Gabe's response as they both hear a noise. The sound was unmistakable: someone crying.
Gabe and Jamie rushed into the living room. There they found Patty curled up on the couch.
"Patty, what's wrong?" "He's gone!"
"Nic? Whataya mean he's gone?" asked Jamie
"Patty, we are here for you now. Calm down and tell us what happened," followed Gabe.
"Well, the week started out fine. We hung out and played around in the pool some. Around Tuesday or so, I finally got the courage to breach the subject. He admitted to me that he was gay and was attracted to me. He told me that he knew that it was a one sided thing, but he felt comfortable telling me. "
"I told him that I cared about him as well, but not in the same way. I told him that he knew no matter what that I was his friend and would always be. We spent the rest of the break talking and getting to know each other better. "
"Finally on Friday night, he asked me to fuck him. He said that he knew that I wasn't gay, but he wanted me to be his first. He said that it wouldn't change our friendship, but he really needed it. He knew that I would be gentle and he didn't want some stranger to be his first."
"Well, needless to say, I gave in. But we didn't just fuck; it was so much more," turning to Jamie, Patrick continued," it was the blossom."
"Finally, Saturday afternoon, he went back to his apartment. His roommate had found something that confirmed that Nic was gay in their apartment during the week and had slowly been getting more and more drunk and angry throughout the week. Greg, Nic roommate, confronted him with it and ...," Patrick broke down crying again.
"Patty, I've got you. You are going to be ok," said Gabe as he wrapped his arms around Patrick.
"...and he beat the hell out of him. Now he's in University Hospital in ICU. His parents won't even let me talk to or see him. They told me that they had found a nice rehab center for him when the hospital releases him. I did some research and it's one of those antigay or gay-no-more places. They use negative response therapy and shock treatments. "
"Patty, it's gonna be ok. We will figure something out," stated Jamie. "You don't understand. I love him. I was too stupid to admit it until it was too late. Now he might die and never know how I feel. I wish I was dead. I'm never going to get to see him again. Why am I so stupid?"
"Patrick, you aren't stupid. Some times it takes a little something to get us to truly realize our feelings for someone. "
After getting something to help Patrick sleep, Gabe and Jamie started making calls to find out what was happening. Greg had fled town after sobering up, but Nic's parents weren't planning to press charges for assault. They felt that Greg had helped them realize that there was a much greater problem than Nic's physical wounds.
The more calls they made, the madder they got and the more they found out there wasn't much they could do. Unless Nic was awake and making his wishes known, his parents were at liberty to make the decisions. Gabe and Jamie finally fell into bed exhausted around midnight. Jamie wasn't able to sleep however. In the past, his money had usually been the answer to many of his problems. This time however, his money couldn't help. Finally, around 2 am he had an idea.
"Governor, there is a call for you," said a member of the Governor's Mansion staff as she handed the phone to the state's Chief Executive.
"Granddad"
"James, is that you?"
"Yeah"
"Son, it's two in the morning. I have a big meeting in a few hours. What could be so important?"
Jamie proceeded to tell his conservative grandfather what all had happed in the last day or so.
"James, I don't understand. What is it that you want me to do?"
"Well, UH is a state owned and operated facility. Couldn't you pull a few strings to get Patrick into his room?"
"James, this is highly irregular and it might make me some enemies."
"Nic means a lot to Patrick. Patrick means a lot to Gabe. Gabe means the world to me. And, I mean a lot to you, right?"
"Damn him" thought the Governor. James knew that he meant more than the world to him. "You three get to the hospital. I'll make some calls and see what I can do."
Thirty minutes later, Gabe, Patrick and Jamie were in the lobby of University Hospital joined the hospital's chief of staff.
"Boys, it's highly against policy what you and your grandfather are asking me to do. Luckily, Mr. Romeori's parents aren't here right now and I have not been informed of any restrictions on visitors. I can only let one of you in."
Looking at Patrick, "Mr. O'Daniel, Nic has been in a coma since arriving. He is stable and his physicians are hoping for a good recovery. "
"What does good recovery mean?" asked Patrick.
"Well, he should be basically normal, but I doubt that he will be playing baseball anymore."
"Doc, I want to see him before I break down again."
The Doctor escorted Patrick in to see Nic. While the Doctor had been at card carrying republican since he was 18 and didn't really know many homosexuals as far as he knew, he had seen the same look that was on Patrick's face now on thousands of spouse's faces during his career. He knew that Patrick and Nicolas were more than just close friends.
When Patrick stepped into the room, he was stunned. Nick face and arms were covered with bruises and head was wrapped in gauze. He looked like his right arm was in a cast. Patrick hated to think about what his torso looked like.
"Doc, can you tell me what all is wrong."
"Well the most serious injuries are those to his head. Other than that, he has two cracked ribs, one of which punctured a lung, a fractured arm and numerous bruises.
"Thanks, can I have a moment?"
As soon as the Doctor left, Patrick bent over and kissed Nic on the lips, being careful not to hurt him.
"Nic, this may be the only time I ever get to see or talk to you again. I know you need to rest, so I will make this brief."
"Nicolas Romeori, I love you!"
With this said, Patrick started to leave the room...
"Patty..."
Several hours later, Nic's parents returned to the hospital and were on their way to his room when they were stopped by the ICU Head Nurse.
"I'm sorry, but you can't go in to see your son."
"Excuse me?"
"Your son woke up in the night and after being informed of his condition and your plans, made his own wishes to be known. They included that you two not be allowed into his room"
Nic's father pushed the nurse to the side, "No overpaid bed pan scrubber is going to get between me and my son."
"No, but they will," replied the nurse as two very big and every muscular state troopers appeared around the corner. "The Governor feels that one of his grandson's best friends should be allowed to recuperate in peace. He's provided these two fine gentlemen to make sure that happens."
Back in Nic's room, he, Patrick, Gabe and Jamie were talking to his new doctor about his condition and what the best treatment options were after meeting with the Associate Attorney General about getting charges filled against Greg for assault with the intention to kill. The highway patrol had already issued an APB for Greg.
"God, I don't know what I am going to do. This will cause me to lose my scholarship if coach hasn't already thrown me off the team for being a fairy. No scholarship means, no school. And where am I going to live?" exclaimed Nic.
"Nicky, don't worry about it. We, and yes I said we, will figure something out. I think I can still get some student loans that I didn't accept. That should help us find a place for you to stay."
"What about all these medical bills? No way are my parents going to cover them with me kicking them out."
At this point, Jamie couldn't help but chuckle under his breath causing Nic and Patty both to look at him.
"What?" they both said in unison.
Gabe spoke up, "Jamie and I are playing for your medical expenses. Also, you are coming to live with us when you get released. As far as money for your education, you are the first recipient of the "Stockard 719" scholarship if you lose your baseball scholarship"
"I can't let you do this guys. I mean, it's my problem and Patrick's your friend, not me. It's too much. "
Gabe continued," Nic, I learned a long time ago not to mess with Jamie when his mind is made up. He talked to me about it, and we decided it's what we want to do. And this stuff about you not being our friend, that's somewhat true. You and Patrick are a couple. Well a couple in the early development stages, which makes us all family. Family takes care of each other."
All Patrick could do at this point was hug Gabe and Jamie and cry. He was passed words.
A couple of days later when they doctors had decided that Nic was very lucky to be out of the woods as far as his brain functions were concerned, they moved him into a private room. Later that afternoon while Gabe was in class and Jamie was preparing a place for Nic, the guys from the baseball team showed up to see Nic and Patrick.
The captain spoke up first," I hear you two are a couple of fruits..."
Before he could continue, Patrick spoke up," Max, if you came down here to give us a hard time, please leave..."
"Patty, we are just joking with you. This should make for an interesting season with you two on the team. At least we have one of the room assignments figured out. "
"What?"
"We had a team meeting. We figure to two are still the same two that show us up in practice everyday. You two are you know, together now. That's all..."
"You mean that you are ok with us being gay?"
"Just as long as you don't start point that snake of you're my direction in the locker room," said Abe the teams starting catcher," You know I need to be able to get out of my squat position easily."
With that, the guys took turns signing Nic cast and talking with Patrick. In general they were just shooting the bull until there was a knock on the door. It was Head Coach Riggs.
"What are you guys doing here?"
"Coach we where just checking on Patrick and Nic," said Max sheepishly.
"Well get the hell out of here. My two best players need their rest and some alone time."
"You mean we are still on the team?" asked Nic.
"Of course. My brother is gay and would probably kick my ass if I kicked you two off the team. I've talked to your doctor and he thinks that there is a good chance you should be back at full strength by the time conference play starts if not before."
That night Nic went to sleep feeling happier than he had in a long time. He was out and content with it, was beginning a relationship with the perfect guy and had found a new family at 719 Stockard Ave.